The Karnataka High Court expressed admiration for Advocate Sarah Sunny, a deaf lawyer, who presented arguments in a case with the assistance of a sign language interpreter. Justice M Nagaprasanna praised Sunny’s efforts, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and appreciating such endeavors.
In an interim order, Justice Nagaprasanna acknowledged the elaborate submissions made by Sarah Sunny, overcoming the challenges posed by her hearing and speech impairment with the aid of a sign language interpreter. The Court had previously instructed its Registry and the Central government to arrange for an interpreter to assist Sunny in her presentations.
Today, the Court commended both the Central government and the Registry for facilitating such arrangements, directing that the interpreter be duly compensated for her services in today’s proceedings and future hearings in the case.
Advocate Sunny briefly represented the estranged wife of a man contesting a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued amidst allegations of cruelty and dowry harassment. While Sunny conveyed her arguments in sign language, the interpreter translated them for the Court.
The Court indicated its intention to delve deeper into Sunny’s submissions during the next hearing scheduled for April 19, allowing her time to familiarize herself with the case details. Justice Nagaprasanna emphasized the significance of this historic event for the High Court, as ASG Aravind Kamat highlighted the milestone achieved by allowing Sunny to present her case via a sign language interpreter, marking a first in the history of the Karnataka High Court.
